Fluid lens assembly

Abstract

A non-round fluid lens assembly includes a non-round rigid lens and a flexible membrane attached to the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between the non-round rigid lens and the flexible membrane. A reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity allows a fluid to be transferred into and out of the cavity so as to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly. In an embodiment, a front surface of the non-round rigid lens is aspheric. Additionally or alternatively, a thickness of the flexible membrane may be contoured so that it changes shape in a spheric manner when fluid is transferred between the cavity and the reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fluid lens assembly, comprising:
 a non-round rigid lens having a back surface and a front surface, the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction; 
 a flexible membrane coupled to the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between a front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the rigid lens; and 
 a reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity between the front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a fluid is transferable between the reservoir and the cavity to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly, 
 wherein the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction at least partially reduces an optical error, and
 wherein the rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction does not exceed 0.18 D. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid lens assembly is within a pair of eyeglasses, and wherein the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction at least partially reduces a plus power of the fluid lens at certain gaze angles. 
     
     
       3. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction at least partially reduces a spherical aberration optical error. 
     
     
       4. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is ellipsoidal. 
     
     
       5. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is hyperboloidal. 
     
     
       6. A fluid lens assembly, comprising:
 a non-round rigid lens having a back surface and a front surface, the front surface having a toric aspheric correction; 
 a flexible membrane coupled to the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between a front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the rigid lens; and 
 a reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity between the front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a fluid is transferable between the reservoir and the cavity to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly, 
 wherein the front surface having a toric aspheric correction at least partially neutralizes astigmatism generated on the flexible membrane by inflation of the flexible membrane, and
 wherein the toric aspheric correction does not exceed 0.18 D. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the fluid lens assembly is within a pair of eyeglasses, and wherein the front surface having a toric aspheric correction at least partially neutralizes natural astigmatism of an eye of a wearer of the fluid lens assembly. 
     
     
       8. A fluid lens assembly, comprising:
 a non-round rigid lens having a back surface and a front surface, the front surface having a toric aspheric correction; 
 a flexible membrane coupled to the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between a front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the rigid lens; and 
 a reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity between the front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a fluid is transferable between the reservoir and the cavity to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly, 
 wherein the front surface having a toric aspheric correction at least partially neutralizes astigmatism generated on the flexible membrane by inflation of the flexible membrane, and 
 wherein an eccentricity of the fluid lens is approximately 0.94. 
 
     
     
       9. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a second flexible membrane attached to the front surface of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
       10. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second flexible membrane is bonded to the front surface of the flexible membrane with an adhesive. 
     
     
       11. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the adhesive has a refractive index approximately equal to a refractive index of the fluid. 
     
     
       12. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second flexible membrane is bonded to the front surface of the flexible membrane by laser welding. 
     
     
       13. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second flexible membrane is bonded to the front surface of the flexible membrane by ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
       14. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately equal to a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
       15. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately three times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
       16. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately four times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
       17. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately six times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
       18. The fluid lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately four to six times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane.